Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)
The Xiaomi 1S edges out the LEVY Plus as the better all-round commuter: it is lighter, easier to live with day to day, better supported, and simply feels more sorted as a complete package. If you just want a dependable, no-drama scooter for flat-city commutes, the 1S is the safer default choice.
The LEVY Plus makes sense if you absolutely need a swappable battery, want a bit more punch and range per charge, or live in a building where bringing the whole scooter upstairs is a nightmare. It's the more modular, tinker-friendly option, but also the more niche one.
If you're torn, pick Xiaomi unless you can clearly explain to yourself why you need Levy's removable battery and extra oomph.
Stick around for the full comparison though - the devil, as always, is in the riding details.
Electric scooters have grown up. What started as flimsy toys are now serious daily tools that replace cars, buses and gym memberships (leg day is every day when you have stairs and a scooter). Two of the most talked-about light commuters are the LEVY Plus and the Xiaomi 1S - both compact, both fairly sensible, both hugely popular with city riders who actually put kilometres on their decks.
I've ridden both in the conditions they're bought for: grimy urban bike lanes, patchy pavements, and the occasional "this definitely isn't a road" shortcut. The Xiaomi 1S is the archetypal practical commuter for people who just want something that works and disappears under a desk. The LEVY Plus is the modular, slightly more muscular cousin aimed at flat-city riders who love the idea of swapping batteries more than they love climbing hills.
On paper they look like close rivals. On the street, some differences become quite obvious, quite quickly. Let's dig in.
Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?
Both scooters sit in that "serious but not silly" price band: more than a toy from the supermarket, less than the sort of monster that needs its own parking space and insurance file. They're aimed squarely at urban commuters, students and multi-modal riders who mix public transport with a last stretch on two small wheels.
The Xiaomi 1S is for riders who prioritise light weight, proven reliability and easy ownership above all else. Think of it as a folding city bicycle in scooter form: modest power, sensible speed, designed to be grabbed, folded, carried and forgotten until next time.
The LEVY Plus targets a similar rider, but with different annoyances. It's meant for people in walk-up flats, offices with grumpy receptionists, and anyone paranoid about batteries indoors. The removable pack, slightly burlier motor and larger tyres make it feel more like a compact "tool for the city" than a minimalist gadget.
They compete because they promise the same thing: a compact scooter that doesn't ruin your back and bank account, but still feels like a real vehicle rather than a disposable toy.
Design & Build Quality
Side by side, their design philosophies are immediately different. The Xiaomi 1S is the poster child of scooter minimalism: slender stem, battery hidden in the deck, understated matte finish with tiny red accents. It looks like the default scooter silhouette for a reason - everyone copied it. In your hands, the frame feels simple but coherent, like a mass-produced product that has gone through several quiet revisions.
The LEVY Plus wears its "engineering" on its sleeve. The battery sitting in the stem gives it a chunkier, more techy look, with a very slim deck and a thicker front tube. It doesn't try to be pretty so much as purposeful. The stem feels stout, the folding joint reassuringly solid, and the battery clicks in with the sort of mechanical clunk that makes engineers nod approvingly. It looks less refined than the Xiaomi, but also less generic.
Build quality on both is decent for the money, but in different ways. The Xiaomi shows its mass-market background: well-finished welds, a folding latch that has been iterated over years, but also the familiar quirks - a stem that can develop a little play if you never touch a hex key, a rear fender that still isn't indestructible, and tyres that will eventually test your patience.
The LEVY Plus feels a bit more "enthusiast brand": robust frame, low deck, barely any stem wobble, but some details - like the display visibility in harsh sunlight or the battery latch that occasionally needs tweaking - remind you this is not a mega-corporation product with an army of industrial designers polishing every corner.
In the hands, Xiaomi feels slimmer and neater; Levy feels sturdier and more modular. Neither screams premium, but neither feels like a toy either.
Ride Comfort & Handling
Neither scooter has traditional suspension, so your comfort is in the hands of rubber and air. The way each approaches this makes a real difference once the tarmac stops being perfect (so, about twenty metres after leaving your front door).
The Xiaomi 1S rolls on smaller air-filled tyres. On smooth bike paths it glides reasonably well: you stand in a skateboard stance and just float along. The steering is light and quite nimble, verging on twitchy if you're used to heavier scooters. The moment you hit cracked pavements, expansion joints or cobblestones, it turns into a vibrating platform that relies heavily on your knees and ankles as unpaid suspension components. Fine for short hops, survivable for medium rides, but a 30-minute stretch on bad surfaces will have you mentally Googling "suspension scooter" by the end.
The LEVY Plus fights the same battle with bigger 10-inch tyres and slightly more volume. It still doesn't have suspension, so large potholes and brutal cobbles will send clear feedback to your spine, but the extra diameter noticeably calms the ride. On the same ugly city sidewalks where the Xiaomi starts to feel harsh, the Levy is more tolerable. Those larger wheels also add a bit of gyroscopic stability at higher speeds, so it feels a touch less twitchy and more planted when you're nudging its top end.
Handling wise, the Xiaomi feels like a nimble bicycle: easy to weave around pedestrians, quick to change direction, but slightly nervous on truly bad surfaces. The LEVY Plus, with its heavier stem and bigger tyres, feels a bit more "adult" - slower to flick side to side, but more stable in a straight line. Long commutes on mixed surfaces tilt in favour of the Levy; ultra-short, flat inner-city hops make better use of the Xiaomi's snappy agility.
Performance
Neither of these scooters is going to pull your arms off, and frankly, that's the point. But there is a noticeable difference when you squeeze the throttle.
The Xiaomi 1S uses a modest front hub motor tuned for lightness and calm efficiency. In its sportier mode it gets up to its limited top speed quick enough for city traffic, and that's where it stays - clean, predictable, and not particularly exciting. It's perfectly fine for flat cities; you'll easily keep up with casual cyclists and feel safe merging into bike lanes without playing rolling roadblock.
The LEVY Plus has a stronger motor and you do feel it. Off the line it's more eager, especially in its punchier mode, and its top-end is a bit higher, which gives you a tiny buffer when you really want to overtake that rental-bike rider who thinks he's in the Tour de France. The acceleration is still linear and manageable, but it feels more adult - less "rental scooter", more "personal vehicle".
On hills, reality kicks in for both. The Xiaomi will politely attempt inclines, then give up the idea of speed and just grind upwards at a stubborn but unimpressive pace. Put a heavier rider and a steeper hill together and you'll be assisting with your foot. The LEVY Plus does better, but not dramatically so. It tackles gentle city gradients with more confidence and holds speed a bit better, but steep hills still expose it as what it is: a lightweight commuter, not an alpine climber. Heavier riders will notice the Levy's advantage, but shouldn't expect miracles.
Braking is solid on both. Xiaomi's combination of rear disc and electronic front braking, with anti-lock logic, gives you very controlled, drama-free stops, especially on mixed-grip surfaces. You can grab the lever with a reasonable amount of panic and the scooter does its best not to pitch you forward. The LEVY Plus answers with a mechanical rear disc, front motor braking and even a backup fender brake. Feel at the lever is slightly more old-school, but you get plenty of stopping power and redundancy. Confidence-wise they're broadly similar; Xiaomi just feels a bit more "engineered" in how the braking system behaves, while Levy feels more mechanical but predictable.
Battery & Range
This is where the two scooters take very different philosophical paths.
The Xiaomi 1S has a relatively small battery tucked under the deck. In the real world, ridden at or near full speed with a normal-sized human on board, it'll give you a modest commute with some buffer. Think a typical there-and-back across a mid-sized city, and you're fine; stretch that and you'll be anxiously watching the battery bars, especially in winter or with hills. It's honest enough, but you quickly learn its limits.
The LEVY Plus carries a noticeably bigger pack in its stem and, unsurprisingly, goes further on a charge in like-for-like conditions. Where the Xiaomi is starting to feel a bit fragile at the end of a longer day, the Levy still has a bit of comfort left. For most people that means you can ride a bit harder - more time in the sportier mode, less babying the throttle - without doing mental maths between every traffic light.
Then there's the killer feature: the Levy's pack pops out. Throw a spare in your backpack and your "range" becomes limited mainly by your patience and leg stamina. For longer commutes, delivery riders, or anyone who hates the idea of planning every trip around a single embedded battery, this is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade. With Xiaomi, when the battery's empty, the day is over; with Levy, the day ends when you're tired of swapping metal tubes.
The flip side: charging. The Xiaomi takes its time to fill up from empty - manageable if you charge overnight, slightly annoying if you're trying to top up during the workday. The LEVY Plus charges noticeably quicker from flat, and because you can pull the battery and treat it like a chunky laptop pack, it's much easier to charge in offices with "no scooters inside" rules. That convenience plays a big role in how much range anxiety you feel day to day. With Xiaomi, you plan; with Levy, you improvise more comfortably.
Portability & Practicality
On paper they're both light; in real life, the Xiaomi feels like the more portable gadget and the Levy more like the small vehicle.
The Xiaomi 1S is genuinely easy to carry. Its weight is low for a proper scooter, the folded package is compact, and the classic bell-to-mudguard latch keeps everything neat when you pick it up. Hauling it up a couple of flights of stairs or muscling it into a train overhead rack is perfectly doable for most adults without a pre-ride stretch. If your commute includes a lot of "carry time" - metro stations, office corridors, tight stairwells - the Xiaomi feels purpose-built for that life.
The LEVY Plus is still reasonably light, but you feel the extra kilos when you start climbing. The stem-mounted battery shifts some mass forward, so carrying it one-handed takes a brief adjustment period to find the sweet spot. It's fine for single flights of stairs and short carries, but if you regularly do long staircases, you'll notice the difference compared with Xiaomi. Where the Levy bites back is in everyday logistics: park it downstairs, grab the battery and charge upstairs. That's a huge win for people who simply cannot drag a whole scooter into their living space daily.
Folding both is quick and intuitive. Xiaomi's latch is slick, mature and has been copied by half the industry. Levy's mechanism is solid and confidence-inspiring, if a touch more utilitarian. Folded footprint is similar enough that storage under a desk or in a cupboard is a non-issue either way.
In practical use: Xiaomi is better if you physically move the entire scooter a lot; Levy is better if you mostly move yourself and the battery, and the scooter sleeps in a hallway, bike room or garage.
Safety
Safety is more than just brakes and lights, but those are good places to start.
The Xiaomi 1S has very well-sorted braking behaviour for its class. The electronic front braking gently reins in the wheel without sudden lock-ups, and the rear disc adds the bite you need for real emergency stops. For newer riders, this feels reassuringly idiot-proof. Lighting is decent too: the headlamp is bright enough for city speeds, and the rear light brightens and flashes under braking, supported by reflectors on all sides. Visibility in urban traffic is good as long as you're not barreling through unlit countryside lanes, which you really shouldn't be on a scooter like this.
The LEVY Plus fights back with a triple braking setup and strong mechanical stopping power. The rear disc brake gives you solid, predictable deceleration; the motor brake on the front wheel helps scrub speed while regenerating a bit, and the fender brake is there as a true last resort. The net effect is confidence - you feel you can shed speed quickly when some driver decides indicators are optional. The lighting is competent: stem-mounted front LED, rear light that does its job, though it doesn't feel like a huge upgrade over the Xiaomi in visibility terms.
Tyres matter for safety too. Xiaomi's smaller pneumatics provide good grip, but the smaller diameter is more easily upset by potholes and tram tracks. Levy's larger tyres roll over the same obstacles with more grace and more contact patch, which translates into a bit more real-world stability and forgiveness when you're tired or inattentive.
One safety angle where Levy clearly stands out is the battery construction: a strongly protected, certified pack in a metal casing designed to live indoors without you sleeping with one eye on the smoke alarm. Xiaomi's packs are also well-engineered - there are millions out there - but Levy makes battery safety and robustness part of the sales pitch in a way Xiaomi doesn't bother to explain in brochures.
Community Feedback
| LEVY Plus | Xiaomi 1S |
|---|---|
| What riders love | What riders love |
| Swappable battery convenience; larger tyres and calmer ride; relatively quick charging; solid braking; modular, repair-friendly design; responsive customer support; good urban range; tidy look. | Light weight and easy carrying; proven reliability over thousands of km; ubiquitous spare parts; intuitive folding; decent brakes; clean, professional design; useful app; strong value perception. |
| What riders complain about | What riders complain about |
| Mediocre hill climbing; no suspension; kick-to-start annoyance on inclines; slightly top-heavy steering feel; display hard to read in bright sun; occasional battery latch adjustment; deck on the narrow side; water resistance not confidence-inspiring in heavy rain. | No suspension and harsh on rough roads; frequent punctures if tyres under-inflated; weak on steep hills, especially for heavier riders; real-world range lower than marketing; rear mudguard durability; fiddly charging port cover; occasional stem wobble if not maintained. |
Price & Value
In Europe, the Xiaomi 1S undercuts the LEVY Plus quite noticeably. That alone already shifts the value conversation: you're paying more for the Levy's bigger battery, stronger motor and removable pack, not for glitz or premium branding.
With Xiaomi, the value is very straightforward: low running costs, cheap and abundant spare parts, endless community knowledge, and a scooter that does what it says without needing babying. For many riders, it's not just "good value", it's the safe bet - a boringly sensible choice that's hard to regret, especially at its price point.
The LEVY Plus justifies its higher tag if - and only if - you make real use of what you're paying for. If you will buy a second pack, exploit the modularity, charge batteries at your desk while the scooter lives elsewhere, and care about slightly stronger performance and range, it can be a sound investment. If you're just going to ride short flat commutes and plug it in at home every night, you're essentially paying a premium for untapped potential.
Service & Parts Availability
This is where Xiaomi's sheer scale is hard to beat. Need new tyres, inner tubes, a brake lever, a mudguard, or an entire deck? There's probably a local shop, an online retailer, and an auction listing all selling exactly what you need, often cheaper than a takeaway dinner. Tutorials, guides, and even custom firmware are everywhere. Any scooter workshop worth its hex keys knows how to wrench on a Xiaomi.
LEVY operates on a smaller, more boutique scale, but to its credit, it takes after-sales seriously: parts are available from the brand, repair videos are provided, and support is responsive and human. In North America that's a major plus. In Europe, you'll likely rely more on shipping parts and doing basic maintenance yourself, though the design is friendly to that. It's not bad at all - just nowhere near as ubiquitous as Xiaomi's "anybody can fix this" ecosystem.
Pros & Cons Summary
| LEVY Plus | Xiaomi 1S | |
|---|---|---|
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Parameters Comparison
| Parameter | LEVY Plus | Xiaomi 1S |
|---|---|---|
| Motor power (nominal) | 350 W front hub | 250 W front hub |
| Top speed | 32 km/h (approx.) | 25 km/h (limited) |
| Real-world range (mixed riding) | Ca. 20-25 km | Ca. 18-22 km |
| Battery | 36 V, 12,8 Ah (ca. 460 Wh), removable | 36 V, 7,65 Ah (ca. 275 Wh), fixed |
| Weight | 13,6 kg | 12,5 kg |
| Brakes | Rear disc + front e-brake + rear fender | Front E-ABS + rear disc |
| Suspension | None (10-inch pneumatic tyres) | None (8,5-inch pneumatic tyres) |
| Tyres | 10-inch pneumatic (tubed) | 8,5-inch pneumatic |
| Max load | 125 kg | 100 kg |
| IP rating | IP54 / IP55 (reported) | IP54 |
| Charging time | Ca. 3,5 h | Ca. 5,5 h |
| Price | Ca. 618 € | Ca. 401 € |
Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?
If your riding life is mainly flat city streets, relatively short commutes, and plenty of stairs, the Xiaomi 1S is the more sensible choice. It's lighter, cheaper, and backed by a huge ecosystem of parts, guides and community support. It doesn't excel in any one spectacular way, but as an everyday companion it quietly does its job with minimal drama - and that's exactly what many commuters actually need.
The LEVY Plus is the better fit if you treat your scooter more as a "system" than a gadget. If the idea of swapping batteries mid-day, charging them away from the chassis, and stretching range well beyond what a fixed pack allows makes your eyes light up, the Xiaomi simply can't compete. Add in the slightly stronger performance and larger tyres, and it becomes the pick for riders who want a compact scooter but refuse to babysit it on range and comfort quite as much.
For most riders, though, the 1S remains the more rounded, less fussy companion. The LEVY Plus is a clever solution to specific problems; the Xiaomi 1S is a broadly good answer to everyday commuting. Unless you look at the Levy's removable battery and think "that solves my life", the Xiaomi is the one I'd expect you to be happier with long-term.
Numbers Freaks Corner
| Metric | LEVY Plus | Xiaomi 1S |
|---|---|---|
| Price per Wh (€/Wh) | ✅ 1,34 €/Wh | ❌ 1,46 €/Wh |
| Price per km/h of top speed (€/km/h) | ❌ 19,31 €/km/h | ✅ 16,04 €/km/h |
| Weight per Wh (g/Wh) | ✅ 29,57 g/Wh | ❌ 45,45 g/Wh |
| Weight per km/h (kg/km/h) | ✅ 0,43 kg/km/h | ❌ 0,50 kg/km/h |
| Price per km of real-world range (€/km) | ❌ 27,47 €/km | ✅ 20,05 €/km |
| Weight per km of real-world range (kg/km) | ✅ 0,60 kg/km | ❌ 0,63 kg/km |
| Wh per km efficiency (Wh/km) | ❌ 20,44 Wh/km | ✅ 13,75 Wh/km |
| Power to max speed ratio (W/km/h) | ✅ 10,94 W/km/h | ❌ 10,00 W/km/h |
| Weight to power ratio (kg/W) | ✅ 0,039 kg/W | ❌ 0,050 kg/W |
| Average charging speed (W) | ✅ 131,43 W | ❌ 50,00 W |
These metrics put hard numbers on trade-offs: cost efficiency of the battery (price per Wh), how much scooter you carry per performance (weight per Wh, per km/h, per km), how far each Wh gets you (Wh per km), how aggressively the motor is specced relative to its top speed (power to speed ratio), and how quickly you can refill the tank (average charging speed). They don't say which scooter is "nicer" to ride - but they do reveal where each one is objectively more or less efficient on paper.
Author's Category Battle
| Category | LEVY Plus | Xiaomi 1S |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | ❌ Heavier to haul upstairs | ✅ Noticeably lighter to carry |
| Range | ✅ More per charge, swappable | ❌ Shorter, fixed battery |
| Max Speed | ✅ Faster, extra headroom | ❌ Limited to lower speed |
| Power | ✅ Stronger motor feel | ❌ Modest, just adequate |
| Battery Size | ✅ Bigger, modular pack | ❌ Smaller, non-removable |
| Suspension | ✅ Larger tyres soften hits | ❌ Smaller wheels, harsher |
| Design | ❌ Functional, slightly clunky | ✅ Cleaner, iconic minimalism |
| Safety | ✅ Big tyres, robust brakes | ❌ Smaller wheels, less forgiving |
| Practicality | ✅ Removable pack, easy charging | ✅ Ultra portable whole scooter |
| Comfort | ✅ Calmer on rough surfaces | ❌ Harsher on bad roads |
| Features | ✅ Swappable battery standout | ❌ Feature set more basic |
| Serviceability | ✅ Modular, good brand support | ✅ Simple, widely understood |
| Customer Support | ✅ Direct, scooter-focused | ❌ Varies, big-brand distance |
| Fun Factor | ✅ A bit punchier, snappier | ❌ Calm, slightly bland |
| Build Quality | ✅ Solid stem, sturdy frame | ✅ Mature, refined chassis |
| Component Quality | ✅ Thoughtful battery, tyres | ✅ Proven parts, refined |
| Brand Name | ❌ Smaller, less recognised | ✅ Global tech heavyweight |
| Community | ❌ Smaller, niche user base | ✅ Huge, active community |
| Lights (visibility) | ❌ Adequate but unremarkable | ✅ Brighter, better signalling |
| Lights (illumination) | ❌ Fine, not impressive | ✅ Stronger for city speeds |
| Acceleration | ✅ More eager off the line | ❌ Gentle, less punchy |
| Arrive with smile factor | ✅ Punchier, bigger-tyre feel | ❌ Competent but less exciting |
| Arrive relaxed factor | ✅ Smoother over rough bits | ❌ More fatigue on bad roads |
| Charging speed | ✅ Fills quickly, removable | ❌ Slower to recharge |
| Reliability | ✅ Solid, simple architecture | ✅ Long-proven in real world |
| Folded practicality | ❌ Slightly bulkier, heavier | ✅ Compact, well-balanced |
| Ease of transport | ❌ Less friendly on stairs | ✅ Ideal for trains, flats |
| Handling | ✅ More stable at speed | ✅ More nimble in tight spots |
| Braking performance | ✅ Strong, triple-system backup | ✅ Refined, very controllable |
| Riding position | ✅ Low deck, natural stance | ❌ Narrower deck, tighter |
| Handlebar quality | ✅ Solid, comfortable grips | ✅ Refined, ergonomic layout |
| Throttle response | ✅ A bit more lively | ❌ Softer, less engaging |
| Dashboard/Display | ❌ Less legible in sunlight | ✅ Clear, bright, informative |
| Security (locking) | ✅ Removable battery deterrent | ❌ Only electronic lock/app |
| Weather protection | ❌ Nothing special, cautious rain | ❌ Also limited, avoid downpours |
| Resale value | ❌ Niche, smaller used market | ✅ Easy to sell on |
| Tuning potential | ❌ Less mod ecosystem | ✅ CF, mods, accessories |
| Ease of maintenance | ✅ Modular, good parts access | ✅ Guides, parts everywhere |
| Value for Money | ❌ Costs more, niche gains | ✅ Strong bang for buck |
Overall Winner Declaration
In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the LEVY Plus scores 7 points against the XIAOMI 1S's 3. In the Author's Category Battle, the LEVY Plus gets 26 ✅ versus 21 ✅ for XIAOMI 1S (with a few ties sprinkled in).
Totals: LEVY Plus scores 33, XIAOMI 1S scores 24.
Based on the scoring, the LEVY Plus is our overall winner. Between these two, the Xiaomi 1S simply feels like the more complete, less demanding companion - easy to carry, easy to fix, easy to live with, and backed by an army of riders who've already discovered every quirk. The LEVY Plus has its charms, especially that removable battery and slightly stronger, calmer ride, but it asks for a more specific use case to really shine. If you want a scooter that quietly does the job and rarely makes you think about it, the 1S is the one that will keep you content on the daily grind. The Levy is clever and occasionally more satisfying, but the Xiaomi is the scooter I'd trust more people to be genuinely happy with, most of the time.
That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.